Did you check your email before getting out of bed today? Is that how you want to spend the first moments of your day? Do you find yourself watching TV while scrolling through your phone? If you were reading a book, would you also be flipping through a magazine?
I’m a fan of technology, but our digital habits may be disrupting our mental health and productivity. Research shows that people using multiple media devices simultaneously have less grey matter in their anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which affects cognitive and emotional control.
According to a major mobile carrier, the average person checks their smartphone approximately 150 times per day. Researchers at The University of Sussex found that people who used multiple media devices simultaneously had less grey matter in their anterior cingulate cortex (or ACC), the part of the brain responsible for cognitive and emotional control.
Technology and your brain could be the reason we are cultivating a state of ‘continuous partial attention’. Forever switching our cognitive gaze, can we be surprised when we find it hard to focus? Digital technology may even be changing the way we process information and experience the world.
Are we still able to process large volumes of text, or grasp the same meaning when we read from a screen? Can we still recall information without computer bookmarks, or navigate unfamiliar cities without Google Maps?
Stop Checking Email First Thing
Stop checking email first thing. I’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but just try it for a week. If might make no difference or it could change more than you might think.
Make using your smart devices, and apps, a more conscious choice. Move your ‘addiction’ apps (you know the ones) to the second or third page of your device. This will help make your choices more conscious.
Batch Process Emails
Batch process emails a few times a day (aim for three) and turn your email application off when you’re not using it. Some working roles demand immediate email response – but most don’t. And speedy responses become self-perpetuating be- cause you create, and then reinforce an expectation. If some- thing is urgent people can always call you.
Create Tech-Free Zones
Have a tech-free hour before bed each night. Try having a week without tech, at least once a year (do you really need to check your email on holiday?).
